The Apex of Island Seas and Mountains: The Ecology and Landscapes of Taiwan's National Parks

30-Second Overview

Taiwan possesses 9 national parks plus 1 national nature park, encompassing a complete ecosystem from sea level up to the main peak of Yushan (3,952 meters). These parks protect Taiwan's most precious natural and cultural assets, including endemic species, indigenous cultural heritage sites, and world-class geological landscapes. From the establishment of the Kenting National Park Office on January 1, 1984 (following a 1982 declaration), to the opening of Shoushan National Nature Park on December 6, 2011 (Taiwan's first national nature park), and finally to the official establishment of the National Parks Administration by the Ministry of the Interior on September 20, 2023, Taiwan's national park system has become an important biodiversity conservation network in Asia.¹ The earthquake in Hualien on April 3, 2024, caused landslides and closures at several trails within Taroko National Park.²

Keywords: National Park, Ecological Conservation, Endemic Species, Landscape Diversity, Environmental Education

Why It Is Important

The land area of the nine national parks and Shoushan National Nature Park totals approximately 3,110 square kilometers, accounting for 8.7% of the national area. Including marine areas, the total area is about 7,500 square kilometers (based on year-end 2020 statistics).¹ Stretching from tropical coasts to alpine snowlines, they form a complete ecological gradient and serve as biological refugia in the era of climate change.

The establishment of national parks has rescued the last remnants of pristine landscapes from the wave of industrialization. Yushan National Park protects Taiwan's highest peak, Yushan; Xueba National Park safeguards the Taiwanese salmon (Oncorhynchus kishleri); and Marine National Parks maintain coral reef ecosystems. These protected areas are treasures of Taiwan's biodiversity and places where generations learn about nature and coexistence with the environment.

Ecological Treasures of the Nine National Parks

Terrestrial National Parks: Complete Protection from Mountains to Seas

Kenting National Park (1982 Declaration, Office Established Jan 1, 1984)
Located on the Hengchun Peninsula at the southern tip of Taiwan, it is Taiwan's first national park. It protects rare tropical coastal forests in Taiwan, with approximately 1,700 recorded plant species.¹ The wind blows from October to March each year. During migratory bird seasons, gray-faced vultures pass through in large flocks around National Day, earning them the nickname "National Day Birds."

Yushan National Park (Established in 1985)
Covering the main peak of Yushan (3,952 meters) and surrounding mountain ranges, it is Taiwan's largest terrestrial national park.¹ From subtropical broadleaf forests to alpine grasslands, it completely preserves Taiwan's vertical vegetation zones. High-mountain plants such as Yushan cypress and Taiwanese fir form a unique high-alpine ecosystem in East Asia here. The Bunun indigenous cultural heritage sites within the park bear witness to millennia of coexistence between indigenous peoples and the mountain environment.

Yangmingshan National Park (Established in 1985)
This volcanic landscape protected near the Taipei metropolitan area safeguards the post-volcanic activity scenery of the Datun Mountain range. Fumaroles at Xiao Yukeng demonstrate Taiwan's active geology. Spring cherry blossoms, autumn asters, and rich hot spring resources make Yangmingshan one of Taiwan's most approachable national parks.

Taroko National Park (Established in 1986)
It is famous for the canyon topography formed by the Lishui Stream cutting through granite, earning it the title "World-class Landscape of Granite Canyons." The granite canyons of Yanzi Mouth and Jiuxu Cave are geological results of crustal movement and millions of years of erosion by the Lishui Stream. The Taroko indigenous culture within the park forms a unique human-nature landscape with the canyon scenery.

Xueba National Park (Established in 1992)
This area protects the essence of the Xue Shan mountain range, centered around the main peaks of Xue Shan and Da Ba Jian. It is the last habitat for the Taiwanese salmon (Oncorhynchus kishleri), where the cold water environment of Qijiawan Stream sustains this relict species from the Ice Age. The giant cypress forests in Guanyu witness the thousand-year history of Taiwan's forests.

Kinmen National Park (Established in 1995)
It protects the unique wartime cultural landscape and migratory bird habitats of Kinmen Island. Ancient house clusters, military facilities, and natural ecosystems are intertwined to form a rare military cultural landscape. Starting every October, tens of thousands of storks migrate to Kinmen for wintering, primarily inhabiting Cihu, Yangming Lake, and Lingshui Lake.³

Taijiang National Park (Established in 2009)
Taiwan's eighth national park, it protects the lagoon, wetland, and fish farm landscapes along the coast of Tainan. The wetlands at the mouth of Wenxi Stream are an important wintering ground for the Black-faced Spoonbill. Global surveys recorded 7,746 Black-faced Spoonbills in 2026, with 4,719 in Taiwan, accounting for about 60%, and Tainan has continuously recorded over 2,000 birds for six years.⁴ The balance between traditional fishing culture and modern conservation demonstrates the possibility of sustainable utilization.

National Nature Parks: Protection of Urban Green Lungs

Shoushan National Nature Park (Opened on December 6, 2011)
Taiwan's first national nature park, it protects the coral limestone topography of the Shoushan area in Kaohsiung and urban biodiversity. Macaque populations coexist harmoniously with the city here, demonstrating a new model for urban ecological conservation.

Marine National Parks: Guardians of Blue Territory

Dongsha Atoll National Park (Established in 2007)
Taiwan's seventh national park and its first marine national park, it protects the Dongsha Atoll ecosystem in the South China Sea. The atoll, with a diameter of about 25 kilometers, is completely preserved and is Taiwan's largest national park (including marine areas).¹

Penghu Southern Four Islands National Park (Established in 2014)
Taiwan's ninth national park, it protects the marine ecosystem of the four islands south of Penghu (Dongyu, Bingyu, Dongji, and Xiji). The basaltic coastal erosion landscapes, coral reef ecosystems, and seabird breeding grounds form an interconnected island ecological network.

Conservation Challenges and Future Prospects

Establishment of the National Parks Administration on September 20, 2023

On September 20, 2023, the Ministry of the Interior officially established the National Parks Administration (formerly the National Park Section of the Ministry of the Interior's Construction Agency), representing a major organizational transformation in Taiwan's national park management system. The National Parks Administration coordinates policy formulation and management for all nine national parks and one national nature park across Taiwan, enhancing the professionalism and independence of conservation work.

Hualien Earthquake on April 3, 2024: Taroko Closure

At 7:58 AM on April 3, 2024, a strong earthquake occurred in the waters off Hualien (initial reports from the Central Weather Administration indicated a magnitude of 7.2 with a depth of 15.5 kilometers, and a maximum intensity of 6 in Hualien; USGS reported a moment magnitude of 7.4).² Several scenic spots within Taroko National Park, such as Shaka Canyon Trail, Baiyang Trail, Jiuxu Cave, and Yanzi Mouth, collapsed or experienced rock face exfoliation. The earthquake resulted in casualties, including tourists on the Shaka Canyon Trail, leading to the immediate closure of major attractions.

The closure of Taroko also severely impacted Hualien's tourism industry.

Impacts of Climate Change

With global warming, Taiwan's alpine ecosystems are facing pressure for "upward migration." The subalpine coniferous forest zones in national parks like Yushan and Xueba may shrink as a result, posing survival challenges to species originally adapted to cold climates. Marine national parks face threats from rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, and coral bleaching.

Management of Anthropogenic Pressures

Taiwan has a high population density, and the areas surrounding national parks often face development pressures. The urbanization pressure on Yangmingshan National Park and the tourism impact on Taroko National Park both require finding a balance between conservation and utilization.

Indigenous Rights and Conservation

Many national parks are located within traditional territories of indigenous peoples. Finding a balance between conservation goals and the cultural rights of indigenous peoples is an important task for Taiwan's national park management. The "co-management mechanism" promoted in recent years allows indigenous peoples to participate in conservation management, demonstrating a new model of harmonious coexistence between culture and nature.

Ecological Education and Sustainable Tourism

Taiwan's national parks promote environmental education through geological explanations of Taroko, alpine ecological education at Yushan, and wetland conservation experiences in Taijiang, bringing urban residents closer to wild ecosystems.

The promotion of sustainable tourism has made the national parks models for ecotourism. Cherry blossom viewing activities in Xueba National Park, migratory bird seasons in Kenting, and flower-viewing seasons in Yangmingshan have successfully combined conservation and tourism, achieving a win-win outcome for economy and ecology.

International Cooperation and Research

Coral reef monitoring at Dongsha Atoll National Park and alpine ecological research at Yushan National Park continuously accumulate Taiwan's long-term ecological data.

Taiwan's density of ecosystem types is among the top globally; from molecular biology to ecosystem management, national parks serve as natural experimental fields for cross-scale scientific research.

The 9 national parks plus 1 national nature park in Taiwan preserve the island's most precious natural and cultural heritage. On limited land, they safeguard a complete ecosystem stretching from subtropical coasts to alpine snowlines, bearing witness to Taiwan's profound recognition of environmental protection values during its transition from an agricultural society to a modern nation.

Facing challenges from climate change and anthropogenic pressures, these national parks are evolving into more resilient protected area networks. Through scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable management, they protect contemporary natural resources and preserve the possibility of coexistence with nature for future generations.

The system of Taiwan's national parks is the result of long-term collaboration between ecological conservation and public policy, and it is a mechanism that allows indigenous cultural heritage sites and natural landscapes to be preserved together.

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